Page 142 of How to Win the Girl

“How didI not know this place existed?”

My date—who came suited up in all black apparel—shrugs his broad shoulders, shoulder harness strapped across his chest.

He looks like an action figure doll, big muscles and determined expression.

“We used to come here all the time when Dallas lived at home.” He unstraps the Velcro laser gun, the loud resounding rrrriipppp has me rolling my eyes for the second time.

“You’ve gotten yourself readjusted at least four times. This isn’t a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” Drake looks at me wide-eyed. “We’re not on the same team. You should be taking this seriously.”

“Not on the same team?”

My date points at my forehead. “You’re blue.” Then he points at his. “I’m red.”

We have headbands on with sensors on them that go off if we’ve been hit with an opponent’s laser. I hadn’t noticed when we’d put them on that ours were different colors.

“What does that mean?”

“It means that if you see me in the battle zone, you better hide.”

What the…

What kind of date is this? I wore white! How am I supposed to hide and why does he want to shoot me?! Days ago, he wanted to sleep with me, and now I’m supposed to hide? What the shit is this?

“I object to that.”

“You can’t object to being the object of my laser.”

“Yes, I can.” I give my hair a flip. “You’re not the boss of me.”

Standing on a crudely made wooden staircase is a teenage boy going over a list of rules of engagement, i.e. explaining how to play the game.

I miss half of it when I was cocking off to Drake, the laser hanging from my shoulder draping uncomfortably. It’s too big, and the strap isn’t secured properly, and I’m—

“…if you get shot, the light on your headband will go off and your laser will sound. You must go to the respawn station and hit the button on the wall to reenter the game.”

Who-see-what-now?

Respawn?

What the hell does that mean?

“Blue team over on this side, red team on the left.”

The players shuffle, moving from one side to the other, until Drake and I are standing on opposite sides from one another.

His grin is pure wicked.

“Don’t you freaking dare…” I try to threaten him, but he either doesn’t hear me or doesn’t care, disappearing—along with the rest of his team—behind a cardboard wall.

When I look around, I notice my team is gone too.

“Shit.”

I already hate this game…

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